Biology

Gloom's eyes as seen in the anime

Gloom is a blue, bipedal Pokémon with rudimentary hands and feet. It has orange leaves and a reddish-brown flower growing from its head. The flower has large, rounded petals and white spots. The female displays only a single large spot on each petal, while the male will have more, smaller spots. Its eyes are wide and often appear closed and its lips are thin and purple.

Gloom trickles sticky nectar from its mouth with the appearance and consistency of drool. This can be used as a fertilizer for plants. Both this nectar and the flower on Gloom's head release a foul odor strong enough to induce fainting in humans over a mile away. However, it can also attract prey, and even a very small number of humans find it pleasing. This odor is a key ingredient for some perfume production. When it is in danger, the odor worsens, but it will not emit its odor if it feels safe. Gloom lives in grassy plains. In the past, Petal Dance was its signature move.

Origin

Gloom appears to resemble the nocturnal flower known as Rafflesia arnoldii, which has a foul odor. The fact that its terrible smelling pollen can be made into a wonderful perfume and that 1 in 1000 people enjoy its smell may be a reference to skunks, whose musk has similar qualities.

Name origin

Gloom is taken from the word gloom (a state of depression) and may refer to the gloom associated with smelling its stench or its seemingly depressed face. It could also come from bloom, since it is still in the blooming stage of a Rafflesia arnoldii. It could possibly also refer to "glume", which is a type of leaf in grass flower anatomy.